Riding the 20 MILE wave: Surfers pictured at sunrise cruising on the Severn Bore as massive tidal surge sweeps along inland river

By Wills Robinson

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It may be more than 7,000 miles from Hawaii, and almost 20C colder, but the West Country provided one of the world's best waves for surfers today.

Wearing hooded, full-body wetsuits, a group of surfers took to the River Severn estuary in Newnham, Gloucestershire, to ride one of the world's largest tidal surges - The Seven Bore.

The wave, which is caused by changing water levels, travels against the river current at around 13 miles per hour and can sometimes climb to two metres high.

There are about six main points along the 20-mile stretch of river where the wave is at its strongest strongest, with dozens of surfers and kayakers racing to meet the wave at each point.

Bores are usually at their highest when the water levels are low, but huge amounts of rainfall in the West Country over the last few weeks mean the waves have still not reached their peak.

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Cruising: Surfers take on the Severn Bore, a tidal surge which swept through a stretch of the Severn Estuary in Newnham, Gloucestershire, this morning

Cruising: Surfers take on the Severn Bore, a tidal surge which swept through a stretch of the Severn Estuary in Newnham, Gloucestershire, this morning

Formation: It is caused by changing water levels and travels against the river current at around 13mph. As many as 60 bores occur throughout the world where the river estuary is the right shape and the tidal conditions are such that a wave develops

Formation: It is caused by changing water levels and travels against the river current at around 13mph. As many as 60 bores occur throughout the world where the river estuary is the right shape and the tidal conditions are such that a wave develops

The surfers took to the wave in hooded, full-body wetsuits to fight off the cold weather

The surfers took to the wave in hooded, full-body wetsuits to fight off the cold weather

Riding the wave: The Severn Estuary, which empties into the Bristol Channel, has the third largest tidal range in the world, about 49 feet (15 m), exceeded only by the Bay of Fundy and Ungava Bay, both in Canada

Riding the wave: The Severn Estuary, which empties into the Bristol Channel, has the third largest tidal range in the world, about 49 feet (15 m), exceeded only by the Bay of Fundy and Ungava Bay, both in Canada

Most surfers wore hooded, full-body wetsuits as they took to the water. Some lay on their boards while others travelled up to a mile standing up. The river was first surfed by WWII veteran Jack Churchill, a Military Cross recipient, who became a surfing enthusiast in his later life and rode the bore on a board he designed himself

Most surfers wore hooded, full-body wetsuits as they took to the water. Some lay on their boards while others travelled up to a mile standing up. The river was first surfed by WWII veteran Jack Churchill, a Military Cross recipient, who became a surfing enthusiast in his later life and rode the bore on a board he designed himself

Patience: The group of surfers lie on their boards and wait for the tidal surge to reach them in the estuary. The Environment Agency, as well as many other surf forecasting sites, publish the bore times so surfers can prepare themselves

Patience: The group of surfers lie on their boards and wait for the tidal surge to reach them in the estuary. The Environment Agency, as well as many other surf forecasting sites, publish the bore times so surfers can prepare themselves

Fall: As the wave reaches its highest and fastest point, some of the surfers struggle to keep their balance, with some falling into the water. The others, who stayed on their boards, can ride the wave for more than a mile in certain sections

Fall: As the wave reaches its highest and fastest point, some of the surfers struggle to keep their balance, with some falling into the water. The others, who stayed on their boards, can ride the wave for more than a mile in certain sections

Forecast: The times of the tidal surges are posted by the Environment Agency, allowing surfers to choose when they take to the water. It reaches its highest point in spring

Forecast: The times of the tidal surges are posted by the Environment Agency, allowing surfers to choose when they take to the water. It reaches its highest point in spring

Some of the surfers fall behind as the surge continues along the 20-mile stretch of the River Severn. Around 30 surfers rode the wave, with many boarding where the surge peaked at Newnham at 8.17am

Some of the surfers fall behind as the surge continues along the 20-mile stretch of the River Severn. Around 30 surfers rode the wave, with many boarding where the surge peaked at Newnham at 8.17am

HOW THE WORLD'S SECOND BIGGEST TIDAL SURGE FORMS IN THE SEVERN ESTUARY

One man stands up on his board as the wave moves steadily along the estuary

One man stands up on his board as the wave moves steadily along the estuary

The shape of the estuary means the water is funnelled into an increasingly narrow channel as the tide rises, causing a large wave of up up to two metres to form.

The Severn Bore is the world's third biggest tidal surge, and is only exceeded by the Bay of Fundy and Ungava Bay, both in Canada.

During the highest tides, rising water is pushed up the estuary into a wave that travels upstream at up to 13 miles per hour.

The largest bores occur in spring but smaller ones can also be seen throughout the year.

The Environment Agency publishes timetables and predictions of bore heights on its website, so surfers can set themselves on the river in preparation.

The river was first surfed by WWII veteran Jack Churchill. He became a surfing enthusiast after his service and rode the bore on a board he designed himself.

In March 2006, railway engineer Steve King entered the Guinness World Record Books after completing the longest surf on the bore.

In September 2005, several hundred surfers gathered in Newnham to celebrate 50 years since the first recorded attempt at surfing the Severn bore and to view the première of Longwave by Donny Wright, a historical film documenting the evolution of bore surfing since its inception in 1955.

Ed Temperley, the editor of surfing forecast site magicseaweed.com, told Mail Online: 'The Severn Bore was one of the first, if not the first, to be surfed.

'There is a very dedicated group of surfers who ride bores all over the world. Because it's a tidal phenomenon, it is easy to determinate exactly when it is coming, so surfers can prepare.

'There are all sorts of different spots along the Severn and the bore surfers have their prefferred places. Some will chase it as it travels down the river.

'You don't need to be the most techically gifted surfer. Just need balance and a board

'The Severn Bore is as good as it gets. There may be a bit too much water in the river for it to be perfect at the moment because of the rain, but the waves will be high.'

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